George Seaton

George Seaton (South Bend, Indiana, 1911 – Beverly Hills, California, 1979) was an American screenwriter, director and producer whose career ran through the studio era and into the 1970s. Born George Edward Stenius to a family of Swedish descent, he started out in theatre and radio in Detroit, where he played the title role on the radio serial The Lone Ranger. He moved into writing after signing with MGM in the 1930s, and his work was soon recognized in Hollywood.

In the 1940s he wrote for Twentieth Century Fox, and he wrote The Song of Bernadette, a major hit. He began directing in 1945, and his best-known film, Miracle on 34th Street (1947), a Christmas story about a man who claims to be Santa Claus, became a long-lasting favourite and earned him an Oscar for its screenplay. In the 1950s he moved between light comedies and more serious dramas. The Country Girl (1954), adapted from Clifford Odets, won Grace Kelly the Best Actress Oscar and earned Seaton a second screenplay Oscar. His films were uneven at the box office, and some, such as The Proud and Profane, disappointed, while others, like 36 Hours (1964), gained a reputation later as well-made thrillers.

Seaton was also a prominent figure in the industry. He served three terms as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, from 1955 to 1958, and directed the 1956 Academy Awards ceremony. He also led the Writers Guild of America West. His biggest commercial success came with Airport (1970), adapted from Arthur Hailey's novel, a film that helped set the pattern for the disaster movies of the following decade. His last film as director was the western Showdown (1973). He died of cancer in Beverly Hills in 1979. His legacy rests mainly on Miracle on 34th Street, which is still screened and remade on film and television, and on his work organizing the film profession.